HM Sultan Qaboos loved horse riding, astronomy

The late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said had a number of hobbies, including horse riding, shooting and astronomy.

Speaking about his hobbies, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos once said, “Since my early childhood, I have had a strong love for horse riding. I was put on a horse back when I was just four. Since then, I continued to see horse riding as a hobby that fits my natural penchant to adventure. But my practice of this hobby dropped to minimum levels due to my ever-extending schedule of duties. No matter what, horse riding remains close to my heart.

“Shooting is also one of my best hobbies, being a trained military man. Shooting constitutes a major priority for anyone who has an interest in military activity and who lived in a society like Oman’s whose people take pride in being able to take up arms when necessary. In fact, I have a flare for trying any new firearm, which might be a rifle, a machine gun or a tank. But traditional shooting with a pistol, a shot gun or even a crossbow remains my best distraction.”

His Majesty Sultan Qaboos added, “There are other hobbies that interest me, like walking, which has remained one of my best pastimes since childhood. I

get comfort in walking, particularly before going to bed. I like to go for a walk along the beach. In addition to being one of the best exercises for one’s body, walking also offers a chance for meditation.

“I also like photography, which I see as an extension of my lifelong hobby of drawing natural scenery. However, present conditions and time constraints give little scope for practising such hobbies. Reading, which was among my favourite hobbies, has become part of my work. It is difficult for me to continue to read what I like (as a hobby), as focus has shifted to reading within the purviews of work and everyday life concerns.

“Also, as an amateur, I play tennis if I get the time. I often watch international tennis games on TV, and I like to follow up athletics on media channels. Astronomy remains among my best interests: Stargazing and planet watching continue to attract my attention.”

I also like photography, an extension of my hobby of drawing natural scenery